Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-25

taxes, incompetent and brutal as a
scheme Of revenue, fatal to the exteu-
sion Of our foreign markets, and disOrd-
erly to our domestic trade, have, in the
last resort, acted and reacted with most
ruinous injury upon the wage-earners.
As the more numerous part Of our
population, our wage-earners are OF
course the first, the last, and the most
to be effected by injurious laws. Every
government by true statesmen will
watchfully regard their condition and
interests. If these are satisfactory,
nothing else can be of very momen-
tous Importance; but our so-called pro-
tective craftsmanship has disfavored
them altogether. Encumbering with
slumsy help few thousand employers,
il has trodden down the millions OF
wage-earners. 1t has for twenty-one
years denied them even the peaceable
fruits of liberty.n
"The taxes to be first remitted are
those which prevent or hinder the sale
of our surplus products in foreign
markets. Their removal will set capi-
tai in motion by the promise of better
returns, enlarge the steady employment
and increase the annual income OF
many thousand wage-earners, whose
prosperity will diffuse prosperity.
But the income of all the wage-earnerS
in the United States can be at once en-
larged effectively, certainly permanent
ly, by reducing the cost on them of the
great necessities of life. Our war-tariff
taxes increase needIessly the cost OF
clothing, shelter, food, to every family.
Every wage -earner's expense, every
taxpayers expense, for the clothing
for himself and family is nearly
doubled, at least in the northern, mid
die, and western states, by taxation
which can now be remitteed, yet leave
the Treasury o sufficient revenue"
1t is the policy of the Democratic
party to augment the trade of Ameri-
can products, expand the demand,
thereby increasing the demand for Ia
Dor and giving to labor permanent en-
ployment at remunerative wages, and
avoid the constant "stut outs" that
under the Republican policy becomes
necessary to exhaust the surplusages
that periodically accumulate. The
country was never in a better financial
commercial and prosperous condition
than it was under the Walker Revenue
Tariff period of 1S46. Then people
were happy and contented. Labor re.
ceived just reward and producers made
reasonable profits. There were no mil
lionaires created in few years, and la
Dor was not disturbed and crushed by
the weight and arrogance of monopoly
Here are two propositions that can
not be successfully disputed.
A protective" tariff, such as is advo'
Gated by the Republican platform, is a
question of regarding the enhancement
Of the profits of capital, and not the
augmentation of the wages of labor. II
is question of percentage, and is to de-
eide whether money vested in certain
favored industries shall, by special class
legislation, yield great profit, or wheth'
er it shall remain satisfied with divi-
dends equal to that aecruing from like
capital invested in agriculture, COM
merce or navigation. .--.-H ,..
A "Revenue Tariff such as is advO-
Gated by the Democratic platform, is a
question that no more money should be
collected from the people than is neces-
sary for the wants of the government,
economically administered.